Three-position signal



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. JOHNSON.

THREE POSITION SIGNAL. No. 514,191. Patented Feb. 6, 1894.

(No Model.) H.

THREE POSITION SIGNAL.

Patented Feb. 6, 1894.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

n: NATIONAL 'LIYNOGEAFNING com m.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY JOHNSON, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY.

TH REE-POQSITION SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,191, dated February6, 1894.

Application filed March 21, 1892. Serial No. 425,773. (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY JOHNSON, of Rahway, in the county of Union andState of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement inThree-Position Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in three position signals inwhich provision is made for utilizing gravity to return the signal todanger both from its position of caution and from its position ofsafety. A practical embodiment of my invention 1s represented in theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view of the signal mountedon a post as it appears in use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the signaland top of thepost showing in full lines the signal at danger and indotted lines its positions when at caution and when at safety. Fig. 3 isa view of the same in end oredge elevation. F1g.4 represents thepositions of the parts when the signal arm is at caution, and Fig. 5represents the position of the parts when the signal arm is at safety.

A represents the signal post, shown in the present instance as providedat its top with a lamp B, which for purposes of explaining the operationof the signal I will assume to be provided with a white light.

For mounting the signal I provide a plate C fixed to the post andprovided with a leg or abutment c. A spindle D is either rigidly fixedto, or loosely secured to the plate 0 and projects outwardly therefromto receive the movable parts. The signal blade E is fixed to a plate F,mounted on the spindle D so as to rock up and down from its horizontalposition. The plate F has fixed to rotate therewith a pair of lenses ortranslucent shades f and f, the former red and the latter green, and soarranged that when the signal blade is at danger the red lens or shade fwill cover the white light, at caution the green lens or shadewill coverthe light, and when at safety the white light will be revealed. An arm Gcarrying a counterbalance weight g, is pivoted to thepost A, in thepresent in-' stance on the spindle D, and between the parts F and O. Astop or an abutment g on the arm G is adapted to engage the leg orabutment c on the plate 0 and prevent the weighted arm G from falling toany great extent below the position to hold the blade E horizontally atdanger. A stop or an abutmentf on the plate F is adapted to engage anabutment on the weighted arm G, the abutment g for example, when theblade swings from its horizontal danger position down to safety andcause the weighted arm to rise as the blade lowers, so that, should theoperating wire a break the blade E would be promptly returned to dangerunder the impulse of the weighted arm G. When, however, the blade israised to caution by the operating wire a, the weighted arm G remains atrest with its stop g in engagement with the abutment c, the blade andthe plate F moving independently of the arm Gin this direction. If theoperating wire -ct should break when the signal blade is at caution theblade would, under the impulse of its own weight, drop to danger when itwould be arrested by engagement with the stop on the weighted arm G. Theoperating wiresa and a conveniently work over a grooved pulley H fixedto rock with the plate F, and the said operating wires are attached tothe pulleyH in such a manner as to cause it to positively rock in onedirection. or the other as the one or the other of the wires is pulled.The blade is provided with an adjustable counter balance weight X. Byadjusting it at different distances from the pivotal connection of theblade, the latter may be made to drop with the desired pror'nptness fromany slightly varying degrees of upward inclination. 7

What I claim is- 1. A three position signal, comprising a swingingsignaling device, means for positively moving it from a horizontal ordanger position to either a downwardly inclined or upwardly inclinedposition, and a counterbalance weight arranged to act upon the arm tohold it at danger and to return it to danger from its downwardlyinclined position, the arm being free to fall from its upwardly inclinedposition to danger position by its own weight, independently of thecounterbalance weightsubstantially as set forth.

2. The three position signal, comprising a rocking support carrying thesignaling device, a counterbalance arm pivoted to the rocking supportindependently of the signaling device and having an interlockingengagement with the support whereby the counterbalance arm is raisedwhen the signaling device is lowered and allowed to remain at rest whenthe signaling device is raised, means for limiting the downward movementof the counterbalance arm and means for positively rocking the signalcarrying support, substantially as set forth.

3. The three position signal, comprising the rocking support providedwith a signal blade and with dilferent colored lenses or shades, therocking counterbalance arm having an interlocking connection with therocking support, by which it acts upon the signal blade FREDK. HAYNES,GEORGE BARRY.

